Protect Our Patriarch
Book 5: Chapter 125: Heavenly net and earthly trap! The Wei Clan's scheme

...

As days passed, the net around Wang Shouye was already in place, yet Wei Donglai's anxiety only grew stronger.

Meanwhile, Princess Luojia, Ji Lingxiao, became increasingly blatant in her investigations. Initially, she would find excuses to cover her tracks, but later, she became more direct and aggressive. Whenever she found even the slightest clue, she would latch onto it like a mad dog.

A few days ago, she even clashed with the King of Wei's Mansion, demanding to take Wei Yuansheng and Wei Donglai back for interrogation. It was only thanks to King Wei Bo Yu's personal intervention that she was stopped.

However, if things continued like this, the situation would inevitably worsen. As long as Ji Lingxiao persisted, disregarding the conflict between both sides, she would eventually bring Wei Donglai down.

No matter how secretly Wei Donglai interacted with the people of the Demon Dynasty, and how meticulously he planned, it was impossible to leave no trace.

Damn it! He had to resolve this matter quickly.

But had Wang Shouye gone mad? Refining batch after batch of pills—when would it ever end?

Wei Donglai was at his wit's end, almost unable to resist taking drastic measures.

It was at this time that the "informant" he had planted in Princess Luojia's residence finally brought back some exciting news.

It turned out that the usually good-tempered Princess Luojia finally lost her patience after not seeing Wang Shouye for over a month. She stormed into his alchemy workshop, stopping him from refining another batch of sixth-grade Lingyuan Treasure Pills, insisting on taking him out for some fresh air.

She even threatened that if Wang Shouye didn't agree, she would cut off all his alchemy supplies.

Wang Shouye had no choice but to relent.

This time, Wang Shouye and Ji Lingxiao seemed to want to keep a low profile as they left. They disguised themselves as ordinary clan members, traveling light and inconspicuously.

However, Ji Lingxiao seemed to indulge Wang Shouye. After a brief visit to East Qian's clothing and skincare shops, they headed straight to the largest cultivation material market in Muxian City.

This market was a blend of clan shops and stalls for itinerant cultivators, bustling with people and a wide range of transactions. Whether it was materials for low-level Basalt cultivators or rare treasures, one could find them here.

This setup mimicked the Immortal Dynasty's system, with designated areas in each city for itinerant cultivators to set up stalls, providing them a means of livelihood.

Such designated areas existed worldwide, and for various reasons, they were often the stage for tales of overnight riches, though more often they were rife with scams. If one went in hoping for a bargain, they were likely to be disappointed.

Wang Shouye would occasionally visit the itinerant cultivator market during his breaks.

With his keen eye, the chances of being deceived were slim, and he could sometimes find a bargain to lift his spirits. This was his third visit to the itinerant cultivator market since arriving in Muxian City.

Perhaps it was the suitable environment and relaxed mood, but Wang Shouye found himself talking more than usual.

Dressed in a plain female Basalt battle skirt, the low-key Princess Luojia followed beside him, watching as he haggled with the vendors.

Though her face was mostly hidden by a veil, making it hard to discern her expression, her brows were relaxed, her eyes smiling, and her gaze was filled with comfort and ease, clearly enjoying the moment.

"Old man, recently the prices of spiritual herbs and pills have dropped significantly, yet the price you're asking for this batch of Cultivation Pill materials is thirty percent higher." Wang Shouye patiently said to an elderly Lingtai Realm vendor, "How about this, I'll offer two hundred Cultivation Pills for your batch of herbs."

He could tell at a glance that this elder was likely from a low-grade clan from another region, bringing a batch of family spiritual herbs to the capital to sell at a high price, accompanied by a pair of young people to broaden their horizons.

"Two hundred pills?" The Basalt elder's face showed a hint of excitement, "Alright, alright, I'll go with your price, young master."

Currently, East Qian's pills were entering Northern Zhou, continuously impacting the local pill price system. However, Cultivation Pills were hard currency, and exchanging herbs for pills was never a loss.

Soon, the transaction was completed.

"Young master, these Cultivation Pills are of excellent quality." The Basalt elder was satisfied with the transaction, repeatedly bowing in thanks.

After returning the gesture, Wang Shouye moved on to the next stall, continuing his browsing.

"Young master, according to the current market price, you could have exchanged those herbs for just one hundred and eighty pills." Princess Luojia teased with a smile, "Besides, collecting such low-grade materials is quite a waste of time."

Now, Wang Shouye had a high success rate in refining sixth-grade pills, typically earning tens of thousands of Immortal Crystals per batch, which took about ten days to refine. If he refined pills daily, he could easily earn a million Immortal Crystals in pure profit annually.

It's often said that every high-level alchemy master is like an inexhaustible large-scale spiritual stone mine, and this couldn't be more true for Wang Shouye.

The income from his alchemy alone could easily support an entire third-grade clan doing nothing.

In other words, if a normal second or third-grade clan could cultivate such an alchemy grandmaster, as long as the family head was sensible and managed well, the clan could gradually rise. If they were lucky enough to obtain a treasure tome, they could directly leap into a first-grade clan, achieving a class leap.

Not to mention, Wang Shouye was still so young. When he reached the Divine Realm or Lingxu Realm, his alchemy income would be even more terrifying, with seventh-grade Holy Pills, eighth-grade Immortal Pills, and ninth-grade Dao Pills, each more profitable than the last.

Especially the ninth-grade Dao Pills. There were very few who could refine them, and it was difficult to do so alone, requiring the help of an Immortal Sovereign or Immortal Emperor's immortal spirit energy.

Thus, a significant portion of the profits from ninth-grade Dao Pills would be taken by the Immortal Sovereign or Immortal Emperor. But even so, as the highest-grade pill humans could currently refine, ninth-grade Dao Pills were extremely rare and highly profitable.

"Lingxiao, visiting the market is just to relax, why chase profit all the time?" Wang Shouye said with a calm smile, "Besides, when I see these honest small clans, I remember the times when our Wang's Clan was weak, and siblings would pass around a single Cultivation Pill. Looking back, those days were bittersweet yet warm."

"If only I had known you all earlier, maybe I could have supported your alchemy." Princess Luojia sighed.

When she first met Wang Shouye, she thought the Wang's Clan was an old Purple Mansion Clan. After all, how could an ordinary Purple Mansion Clan produce a Peerless Prodigy?

But later, after careful investigation, she discovered that the Wang's Clan had risen in less than two hundred years. The speed of their rise and the drastic change in status was beyond her imagination.

Had she not seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have believed that such a feat was possible for any clan in the world.

Wang Shouye smiled gently.

Given Princess Luojia's background, the chances of them crossing paths back then were slim.

Moreover, he always knew he wasn't a naturally gifted genius, born stronger than others. Everything he had now was due to his family's support and his own diligent practice of alchemy.

Had they met earlier, Princess Luojia might not have noticed him at all.

Nearby, the Nine-Tailed Demon Emperor, disguised as a female guard protecting them, couldn't help but roll her eyes, secretly disdainful.

Princess Luojia's words were nonsense.

If she had known the Wang's Clan would be so formidable today, she would have invested in them two hundred years ago. Back then, the Wang's Clan was just a ninth-grade clan, and even a single hair from the Nine-Tailed Demon Emperor would have been enough to make the entire Wang's Clan soar with gratitude.

But now, with the Wang's Clan's wealth and power, even if she plucked all her fur and offered it, Wang Shouzhe wouldn't spare her a glance, only thinking she was crazy.

Wang Shouye wandered around, occasionally buying some low-grade materials. When he encountered honest people selling high-value items at low prices, he didn't take advantage of them but instead pointed it out and purchased at a high price, seeking peace of mind.

This naturally earned him a nod of approval from Princess Luojia.

Our Young Master Shouye is steady, kind-hearted, unlike Wei Donglai, who is high and mighty and eager for quick success.

At this moment, a plain-looking Lingtai Realm elder approached, mysteriously pulling out a leaf: "Young master, please take a look at this."

Though the leaf was slightly withered, its distinctive features were clear, with a palm-like shape, thick texture, and faint purple veins.

"What is this?"

Wang Shouye's heart stirred slightly as he took the leaf for a closer look.

"Young master, may I have a word with you?" The seemingly honest Lingtai elder glanced around before inviting Wang Shouye to a secluded spot, speaking in a low voice, "I see that you are kind-hearted, so I present this treasure for your appraisal."

"Yes, this is a leaf from a Geomantic Ginseng." Wang Shouye said, "Judging by the leaf's veins, this Geomantic Ginseng must be at least ten thousand years old."

"Ahem, young master, you truly have a discerning eye. In fact, I am not sure of the exact age myself." The Lingtai elder whispered, "To be honest, I hail from a seventh-grade clan in Changchun Guard, Nanshan Commandery, Northern Zhou. Our family discovered a Geomantic Ginseng while mining in our territory."

The elder then detailed the shape and size of the ginseng.

"This ten-thousand-year age might be an understatement." Wang Shouye remarked, "Your family is indeed fortunate. This treasure starts at tens of thousands of Immortal Crystals, and if the age is higher, it could be worth millions."

Such a fortune was no small amount even for a third-grade clan, let alone a seventh-grade one.

"Would the young master be interested in purchasing it?" The Lingtai elder, seeing that he recognized its value, was elated, "I've been observing the market for days, not daring to reveal this information for fear of attracting unwanted attention. If not for your righteous character, I wouldn't dare present this item."

"Very well. A Geomantic Ginseng of such age could serve as the main ingredient for a seventh-grade Holy Pill, the Tongtian Holy Pill, which I happen to need." Wang Shouye agreed, "Let's find a place to assess its quality and age, and I'll offer a price based on that."

The Tongtian Holy Pill is an auxiliary pill for Basalt cultivators at the Purple Mansion Realm to break through to the Divine Realm, similar to the Tianling Dan, Ascension Pill, and Tongling Baodan.

For Peerless Prodigies like Wang Shouzhe and Wang Shouye, with their strong bloodlines, they can naturally break through to the Purple Mansion Realm without auxiliary pills. However, when advancing to the Divine Realm, unless they are Heavenly Daughters or Heavenly Sons, it's safer to use a Tongtian Holy Pill to ensure success.

Once refined, this pill almost always goes to auction, with final prices often around thirty thousand Immortal Crystals.

"Well, young master, it's my fault for not explaining clearly." The Lingtai elder said awkwardly, "Our family indeed found the Geomantic Ginseng, but we lack the strength and experience to collect it, fearing that we might damage it and lose its medicinal properties. If you're willing to go to the government for notarization and pay a deposit, I'll take you to see it, and if your offer is reasonable, we'll sell it to you."

"That makes sense. A Geomantic Ginseng over ten thousand years old is extremely rare, and collecting it without experience could damage its properties, which would be a great loss." Wang Shouye nodded, "Alright, let's go to the government for notarization and draw up a contract."

Wang Shouye couldn't help but be interested. Although he could earn money by refining sixth-grade Treasure Pills, the difficulty of refining seventh-grade Holy Pills increased significantly. Even with the guidance of the Mysterious Pill Treasure Tome, he could barely break even.

To improve the pill formation rate, there's no better way than to "refine" more.

The biggest issue with holy-grade pills is the scarcity of raw materials. It's not something you can refine at will.

Although he had previously acquired several ten-thousand-year spiritual herbs from ruins, there's never enough of such high-level herbs. Since he encountered it, he definitely wanted to acquire it.

"Young master, Nanshan Commandery is not close. Even by flying carriage, it takes several days for a single trip." Princess Luojia frowned slightly at the elder's proposal, showing some "hesitation," "Why not send a subordinate to purchase it instead?"

"No." The Lingtai elder refused outright, "I only trust this young master because of his honest nature. I wouldn't trust anyone else. Besides, this young master offers fair prices, treating everyone equally, so I only wish to sell it to him."

"Alright, let's treat it as a trip to relax." Wang Shouye reassured Princess Luojia, "Moreover, a Geomantic Ginseng of such age is too precious, with many taboos in collecting it. I wouldn't be at ease sending someone else."

"Since the young master has made up his mind, I'll accompany you to relax and show you the year-round spring scenery of Nanshan Commandery." Princess Luojia finally agreed, a cold smile forming under her veil.

After reaching an agreement.

The parties followed the Lingtai elder's instructions, going through the procedures under the witness of the relevant government agency, completing the notarization and contract.

Then, two ordinary flying carriages flew straight to Nanshan Commandery.

It wasn't until the flying carriages took off that the Lingtai elder realized the person before him was the famous Princess Luojia, causing him to be so frightened that he was at a loss for words, not daring to say a word throughout the journey.

Princess Luojia and Shouye traveled discreetly, with a small entourage.

Accompanying them were an old woman, two maids, and a little girl, with no additional personnel.

After five full days.

The flying carriages arrived in a remote mountain range near Changchun Guard, Nanshan Commandery.

This place was sparsely populated, far from the nearest human settlements, with only a few scattered small mining areas still in operation.

"Young master, this way, please." The Lingtai elder led Wang Shouye to a mining area, explaining as they walked, "This is our family's mining area, sealed off after discovering the Geomantic Ginseng. Young master, let's go inside."

"Wait." Wang Shouye surveyed the surroundings, frowning, "This place doesn't seem to have the spiritual aura for such a high-quality geomantic vein, nor does the underground show signs of it."

"Ahem, young master, the geomantic vein is quite deep." The Lingtai elder explained, "If it were easily noticeable, would such a treasure still be ours?"

"If there's a geomantic treasure, why not use formations to isolate it and have elite clan members secretly guard it?" Wang Shouye wasn't easily fooled, instead finding more suspicious points, glaring at him coldly, "What are your intentions in luring us here?"

Though Wang Shouye usually appeared mild-mannered, he was a Purple Mansion Realm powerhouse with a fire-based bloodline. When angered, his presence was as fierce as fire, intimidating and oppressive.

Under this terrifying presence, the Lingtai elder's knees buckled, collapsing to the ground in fear, "Young master, spare me~~~ I, I..."

Just as he was about to say something.

Suddenly.

A cold, mocking voice echoed from the sky.

"Wang Shouye, Wang Shouye, who would've thought a mere alchemy nerd like you would have such keen senses. Unfortunately, it's too late to realize it now. Today, this remote place will be your grave."

Before the words finished.

A young man in luxurious attire emerged from the shadows, walking through the air.

This young man was tall and handsome, but his expression was extremely cold, his eyes filled with a snake-like sinister killing intent, casting a dark shadow over his demeanor.

Who else could it be but Wei Donglai?

Behind him were five masked, mysterious individuals.

They wore similar black robes, remaining silent, following Wei Donglai at a certain distance. Yet the powerful aura they inadvertently exuded was like facing an abyss, almost suffocating.

Divine Realm!

Each of the five was a Divine Realm cultivator!

"Wei Donglai?" Wang Shouye raised an eyebrow, speaking loudly, "Are you here to take revenge on me?"

"Heh, consider it revenge." Wei Donglai sneered, "If it weren't for your meddling, would my Wei Clan's reputation have plummeted? Would I, Wei Donglai, have nearly lost everything?"

"Justice is in the hearts of the people." Wang Shouye replied coldly, "If you had competed honestly, win or lose, the impact on your reputation would have been limited. Who can you blame for your downfall?"

"Fine, you're righteous, you're upright, alright?" Wei Donglai was done talking, "In short, you ruined my plan to marry Princess Luojia, so I'll make sure you die without a trace."

"How dare you!" Princess Luojia was furious upon hearing this, "Wei Donglai, you're truly insane."

"Oh, isn't this Princess Luojia?" Wei Donglai mocked, "You don't want a fine young man, but prefer a married man. You're really bringing glory to our Northern Zhou royal family."

"Do you think you can compare to Young Master Shouye?" Princess Luojia retorted with a cold smile, "Yes, I like Young Master Shouye, so what? Even if you begged at my feet, I wouldn't spare you a glance. Do you think you can capture us with just a few hidden Divine Realm cultivators? Dream on!"

"Alright, alright! The princess's words have enlightened me." Wei Donglai laughed in anger, his expression turning sinister, "Haven't you been searching for evidence of my collusion with the Demon Dynasty? Today, I'll let you see it all at once. Ancestor, there's no need to hide anymore. Let's end this quickly, slay Wang Shouye for colluding with the Demon Dynasty, and rescue Princess Luojia."

Clearly, he intended to kill and frame them.

"Sigh!"

A soft sigh echoed.

In the sigh, ripples of space appeared in the air.

An imposing elder in a brocade robe tore through space, stepping out slowly.

In the sunlight, he stood in a black robe, his demeanor extraordinary.

The terrifying aura spread with his appearance, seemingly filling the entire space in an instant.

The dominance of a Lingxu Realm powerhouse was unmistakable.

It was none other than King Wei Bo Yu.

Wei Bo Yu stood with his hands behind his back, coldly looking at Princess Luojia, "Lingxiao, I watched you grow up, always hoping you'd become a daughter-in-law of our Wei Mansion. Yet, who would've thought we'd meet on the battlefield today? Truly, the world is unpredictable."

"Your Highness." Princess Luojia sighed, "I've always regarded you as an elder, never expecting your Wei Mansion to be so deeply involved with the Demon Dynasty."

"It's not collusion, just mutual benefit." King Wei Bo Yu's expression was cold, unmoved by Princess Luojia's accusations, "Your Ji Clan has held power for so long, yet each generation is worse than the last. Why should our Wei Clan remain beneath you? It's time for a change in emperors."

"Wei Bo Yu, do you think colluding with the Demon Dynasty to usurp the throne will go unnoticed by the Immortal Emperor?" Princess Luojia was infuriated by his audacity, retorting coldly, "You're just delusional."

"History is written by the victors. How to deal with the Immortal Emperor is our Wei Clan's concern." Wei Bo Yu said calmly, "But Lingxiao, surrender peacefully. Don't think hiding a Heavenly Recording Disk will serve as evidence. With me here, none of you will escape."

As he finished speaking.

Wei Bo Yu waved his long sleeve, unleashing a burst of scorching energy.

As long as he captured Princess Luojia, the others were irrelevant!

Lingxu Realm cultivators were so domineering that even Peerless Prodigies at the Purple Mansion Realm were like ants in comparison.

"Roar~!!"

Amidst the majestic Kylin roar, profound energy gathered into a massive fire claw, fiercely grabbing at Princess Luojia.

In an instant, half the sky was dyed red by the firelight from the claw.

Wherever the claw reached, raging flames and boundless power erupted, threatening to incinerate everything.

Princess Luojia's face turned pale.

Despite her mental preparation and strong will, the overwhelming power made her feel like an insignificant ant.

"Be careful, Princess."

Wang Shouye's expression changed, quickly summoning the Blue Flame Gourd to defend.

But at that moment.

A deep beast roar, like thunder, echoed from the sky.

Simultaneously, a massive, powerful palm appeared.

This palm, like the fire claw, was entirely formed of profound energy, yet it was solid and heavy, almost tangible.

The palm descended with boundless majesty and righteousness.

As it passed, endless water vapor gathered, instantly dispelling the heat from the fire claw.

In a flash, the palm swept over Princess Luojia's head, colliding with the descending fire claw.

"Boom!!!"

The deafening explosion echoed across the sky.

The terrifying energy swept out like a storm, spreading in all directions.

Under the energy storm, the surrounding forest was instantly destroyed, debris flying everywhere, and even the mine below trembled violently, nearly collapsing.

If not for the strength of Princess Luojia and the others, they would have struggled to stand in such an environment.

"Sigh, Wei Bo Yu, Wei Bo Yu, our Ji Clan has not treated your Wei Clan poorly. How did it come to this?"

With a heavy sigh, a figure emerged from the raging energy storm, entering everyone's view.

It was a slender elder, with wide sleeves and a dignified presence.

Though he appeared aged, his back was straight, exuding an imposing and majestic aura, like the might of the heavens.

Under his protection, the energy shockwaves around Princess Luojia and Wang Shouye quickly subsided.

Where he passed, peace was restored.

"Yuanping Emperor!"

Wei Bo Yu's face changed, a chill rising in his heart, "Not good, it's a trap!"

Wei Donglai was even more terrified, his face pale, nearly collapsing.

It's over!

...

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.